Handbag and frame therefor



Oct. 30, 1962 A. ROTHMAN HANDBAG AND FRAME THEREFOR Filed Sept. 2, 1958 FIG.2

INVENTOR #55 P0 TA/MAA/ rig United States Patent 3,060,986 HANDBAG AND FRAME Tl-IEREFGR Abe Rothman, 123 Newport Ave, Belle Harbor, N.Y. Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,472 5 Claims. (Cl. tl29) The present invention relates to a handbag or similar article, and particularly to a handbag, or the like, whose opening is defined by a rigid frame closure to whose members the marginal edge portions of the bag opening .are secured, and to the frame structure therefor.

Framed handbags of the same general type to which the present invention relates are made with frames of metal, wood or plastic. In the prior art procedure, in connection with such handbags, the bag portions have generally been secured directly to the frame. Thus, with metal frame handbags of the prior art, the frames were secured to the edge portions of the bag by pinching or squeezing, requiring the use of specialized tools by skilled and specialized workers. In handbags having wooden or plastic frames, the frames were secured to the bag by gluing or cementing the bag edges in a channel provided for the purpose in the frame. All of the foregoing methods of assembly of bag with frame had the common characteristics of being relatively laborious, slow and costly and, additionally, provided an insecure assembly, frequently resulting in the separation of the bag from the frame. The latter was especially true with the wood and plastic framed handbags, which tended to separate upon the drying of the adhesive, or bonding agent.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a bag and frame assembly and the frame therefor, which eliminate all of the foregoing disadvantages.

It is, thus, one object of the present invention to provide a handbag of the character described having a frame of relatively simple construction that may be relatively simply and economically fabricated.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a handbag of the character described having a frame with which the bag portion thereof may be relatively quickly and easily assembled.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a handbag of the character described in which the assembly of bag and frame may be accomplished with great ease and does not require specially designed tools or specially trained skilled and highly paid operators; but may be done by moderately skilled workers with great ease and dispatch.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a handbag of the character described in which the bag and frame are safely and securely associated against separation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a handbag of the character described having an interior of enhanced neatness and attractive appearance.

It is a still further object of the present invention to devise methods of assembly for the handbag of the invention which are simple, easy and rapid and may be practiced with a minimum of equipment and, therefore, make possible great economies in production as well as produce improvements in the characteristics of such handbags.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the handbags of the present invention, and the methods of making the same, will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the one embodiment of the handbag shown in the accompanying drawing, and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any 3,%d,986 Patented Get. 30, 1962 "ice intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open handbag embodying the present invention, as seen from the top, partly broken away to show structural details;

FIG. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with the handbag frame in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an inner locking plate for the handbag frame of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 2, of a modified form of the handbag.

Generally stated, the present invention resides in the concept of suspending the bag portion of the handbag from the frame thereof, instead of the heretofore conventional way of securing such bag directly against the frame.

In carrying out the invention, each of the hinged sections of the frame is formed of two parts; namely, a curved, hinged part having a side wall on which are provided spaced posts or studs, on which a side extension of the bag is suspended by appropriate openings formed therein along its edge, and a locking plate that is secured to the end of the studs, to retain the bag extension on the studs.

More specifically stated, the handbag of the present invention comprises a bag, generally designated as 10, and a frame, consisting of a pair of frame members, each generally designated as 12, which frame members may be hinged on one another.

Each of the frame members 12 comprises a main section, 14, curved to form a top wall portion, 16, and whose end wall portions, 18, are the terminals on which the two frame sections 14 may be hinged on one another, as at 20. Each of the frame sections 14 also comprises a side wall, 22, depending, preferably, from the outer edge of the top wall 16. The side wall 22, may be integral with or secured to the top wall portion 16 and may, if desired, be provided with a bottom edge of ornamental contour. The side wall 22 is provided, on its inner face, with a plurality of preferably relatively thick and preferably cylindrical studs, 24, spaced from one another along the width of the frame member and also from the edges of the side wall 22. Any desired number of studs 24 may be provided on each of the side walls of the frame, generally depending on the width of such frame; but preferably not less than three in number. Such studs 24 may be formed integrally with the wall 22 or may be secured thereto, as may be desired. The studs 24 are each of a height preferably less than the width of the top wall portion 16 of a frame member 14, and are formed with preferably flat, co-terminal end faces, 26, in which there may be formed or provided sockets or recesses, 28.

The handbag frame also includes at least one lock plate, 30, for each frame member 12. Such lock plate 30 is, however, preferably unitary, conforming to and fitting within the inside of a frame section 14, parallel to the side wall 22, thereof. Each such lock plate 39 may be provided on one face thereof with a plurality of spaced pins, 32, of a thickness, number and arrangement to fit within the sockets 28 of the studs 24!- of the associated frame side wall 22.

The bag 1% may be of any suitable, conventional shape, size and material; preferably including an outer or face ply, 34 of a preferably ornamental fabric, and a lining, 36. The bag may also include an intermediate ply or liner, 38, of a preferably fibrous material, such as paperboard or canvas, particularly along the marginal edge portions of the bag opening, to give them body and increased strength. The bag has its opening defined by end extensions, 40, of a contour conforming to and adapted to fit accurately Within the frame section 14. Each of the bag edge extensions, 40, is provided with a plurality of spaced holes, 42, along its edge; such holes 42- being of a size and arrangement to engage over the studs 24 of such frame section 14.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the assembly of the handbag from the parts described above is a relaively simple, easy and rapid operation, which may be effected by the use of a minimum of relatively simple apparatus that requires little, if any, skill and training for its use. Thus, all of the holes 42 in each of the bag opening extensions 40 may be quickly, easily and simultaneously formed, in a single operation, by a suitable and appropriate multiple die punch. The punched out bag and extensions 40 may then each, successively, be easily and quickly engaged, by their holes, 42, over the studs 24 of a frame member 14, and a lock plate, 30, quickly and easily secured over the end faces 26 of such studs, by a suitable cement. applied to such end faces and into their recesses 28, Where present; the pins 32 of the lock plate 30 engaging within the sockets or recesses 28.

It may here be stated, however, that the sockets 28 and pins 32 are not essential for the assembly of a suitable handbag; merely providing greater strength and security for the assembly, and that an adequately safe and secure assembly may be attained without them, by the cementing of the face of the lock plate 30 directly to the end faces 26 of studs 24.

It may here be pointed out that, because the lock plate 30 is of substantial Width and conforms accurately to the inner contour of the upper portion of the frame section 16, it completely covers and conceals the generally rough and unfinished edge of the bag extensions 40, to thereby provide a. bag interior that is clean and neat looking and of improved and attractive appearance.

It may here also be stated that, While the present invention has been specifically illustrated in connection with a handbag frame formed of a synthetic plastic material, it is not intended to be so limited, and that the invention is equally applicable and useful and advantageous in connection with frames formed of metal or Wood or their combinations with one another and with plastic, and that the invention is intended to include and cover handbag frames formed of any and all such materials.

This completes the description of the handbags of the present invention, the frames therefor and the methods of their assembly. It will be readily apparent from such description that the invention provides a handbag utilizing a frame of simple but novel construction and utilizes novel and simplified methods of assembly that may be easily and rapidly practiced, to produce a handbag of enhanced appearance, increased strength and durability, at relatively low cost.

It will also be apparent that numerous modifications and variations in the handbag of the invention, the frame therefor and in the methods of their assembly, may be made by any one skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A handbag, comprising, in combination, a bag having an open end, and a frame for said open bag end, said frame comprising a pair of hinged frame members each including an upright side wall extending substantia1- ly the Width thereof, said side Wall having spaced projections provided thereon at substantially right angles to a face thereof, said bag having spaced holes formed in the marginal edge portions of the open end thereof and engaged by said holes over said projections of the side Walls of said frame members, and means secured to said projections exteriorly of the marginal edge portions of the holes fitted thereover and overlying the same for retaining said bag on said projections, said projections comprising studs each of a height at least equal to the thickness of the said bag end and each having a flat end face and the means secured to said projection comprises a plate secured by a face portion thereof against the end face of each of said studs,

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said end faces of said studs lie in a common plane and said means secured to said projections comprises a unitary plate secured to said faces of the studs on the side Wall of one of said frame members.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said studs each has an inwardly extending recess formed in its end face, and said plate disposed against the end face of each or said studs has a projection provided thereon secured Within the recess of said stud.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said bag is formed with parallel extensions from the edge portions of the open end thereof and said holes are formed in the marginal edge portions of said extensions.

5. A hangbag, comprising a bag having an open end defined by a pair of substantially parallel Wall portions, each of said wall portions having a plurality of spaced holes formed in the marginal edge portion thereof, and a frame, including a pair of frame members each having means fitting Within the holes of one of said wall portions to suspend the same, and means engaging said bag wall suspending means of each of said frame members exteriorly of said bag wall portion suspended thereon and overlying the marginal edge portions of the holes thereof, to retain said bag Walls on said suspending means, said suspending means comprising a side Wall on each of said frame members and spaced studs on a face of each of said side Walls, said studs of a height equal at least to the thickness of said bag, said studs each having a substantially fiat end face, and said means engaging said suspending means comprises a plate member secured by a face thereof against said end face of each of said studs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,438 Hiering Jan. 20, 1931 2,015,888 Ferrara Oct. 1, 1935 2,064,568 Sachs Dec. 15, 1936 2,393,487 Storch Jan. 22, 1946 

